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The Daily Insight Hub

Can credit card companies garnish wages in Ohio?

Author

Emma Miller

Updated on February 20, 2026

When Can a Creditor Garnish Your Wages in Ohio? Most creditors can’t garnish your wages as soon as you fall behind on a credit card payment or medical bill, however. First, the creditor must file a collection lawsuit in court, win, and get a money judgment stating that you owe the creditor money.

What income Cannot be garnished in Ohio?

Under Ohio law, some sources of income are completely exempt from wage garnishment. These include Social Security retirement or disability benefits, unemployment benefits, and worker’s compensation. In general, most government-provided benefits are exempt.

How does garnishment work in Ohio?

Under Ohio law, a creditor seeking to garnish your wages may not take your entire paycheck. The maximum amount that may be deducted from each paycheck is 25 percent of your net take home (what is left after paying taxes and other deductions). If you are paying child support, even less may be taken from your paycheck.

Can you go to jail for debt in Ohio?

You cannot be arrested for debt, but creditors can file a lawsuit against you and even garnish your wages for payment. Jail is only a factor in cases of fraud, theft, or defying a court order.

Can a creditor garnish your wages in Ohio?

Also, most creditors must file a collections lawsuit and receive a money judgment first. But not all creditors need to go to court, and a garnishment for child support or income taxes can exceed 25% of your wages. (Filing for bankruptcy can stop many wage garnishments in Ohio.) When Can a Creditor Garnish Your Wages in Ohio?

Can a credit card company garnish my wages or bank account?

Can a Credit Card Company Garnish My Wages or Bank Account? As per PA Garnishment Law, a credit card company cannot garnish your wages in Pennsylvania if you live and work in PA and if the lawsuit was also filed in PA.

When do you get a wage garnishment order?

A wage garnishment is an order from a court or a government agency that requires your employer to withhold a certain amount of money from your paycheck for the benefit of a creditor. Most creditors can’t garnish your wages as soon as you fall behind on a credit card payment or medical bill, however.

Can a debt collector garnish your wages in PA?

A debt collector cannot threaten to garnish wages in PA unless it actually has the right/possibility to do so. A credit card company, or a collection agency would not typically have this right under PA law.